A Sad Exit in Jerusalem

Published: November 4, 1993

As Mayor of Jerusalem for 28 years, Teddy Kollek has presided memorably as the blunt-spoken but equitable magistrate of a fractious city. In his prime, he would begin at dawn by walking through Jerusalem, paying its diverse inhabitants the courtesy of listening. Parks and museums filled what had been battlegrounds; a once-divided city was united by efficient municipal services. Even more impressive was the grudging respect accorded Mr. Kollek by the resentful Arab third of Jerusalem's 550,000 inhabitants.

At 82, having lost an election he reluctantly contested, Mayor Kollek bows out at an awkward moment. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who persuaded him to run, incautiously declared that local elections could be seen as a referendum on Israel's agreement to withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. But his appeal backfired; turnout throughout Israel was low and his candidates lost in Tel Aviv as well as Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, the winner was Ehud Olmert, a Likud Party hard-liner who opposed the Camp David accord with Egypt; his victory was assured by a last-minute deal with an ultra-Orthodox candidate who abandoned the race in return for promises of more money for religious schools.

Mr. Kollek's age and uncertain health were perhaps the major reasons for his defeat. His occasionally choleric temper also cost votes.

As Mayor-elect, Mr. Olmert now talks of harmony and dealing fairly with all Jerusalemites, including Arabs. Fortunately, he has Teddy Kollek's example of mutual accommodation to guide him. In a city where a blunder can lead to bloodshed, Mr. Kollek has respected the cultural and religious autonomy of all its citizens. He has been fearless in countering zealotry in every quarter. During his tenure, despite sporadic outbreaks of violence, "the peace of Jerusalem" has been more than a figure of speech; indeed, it is his monument.